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Maxis Invites Gamers to Sign-Up for Darkspore Beta

Maxis, the studio behind Will Wright's god game Spore, surprised the gaming world when it announced its new title would be a sci-fi action-RPG. Now the studio plans to give a select number of gamers the chance to see what Darkspore is all about in a just-announced beta test.

Without fanfare, Maxis added a beta sign-up page to the Darkspore web site, inviting interested gamers to submit their email address, country, and date of birth in hopes of becoming the first players tapped for the beta test.

No details on the beta were provided, but Maxis states that those who sign-up will be the first to know. What we do know about Darkspore comes from the game's unveiling at the EA summer showcase in July.

Using an enhanced version of the Spore Creature Editor, players create living weapons -- genetic heroes with different combat abilities and upgradeable body parts and armor. The top-down, Diablo-like adventure will task those genetic heroes with destroying the Darkspore. A rundown on the storyline from Maxis:

For eons the Crogenitors traversed the galaxy, genetically transforming and sculpting living matter to their will. In their unchecked arrogance they created something they could not control -- the Darkspore. Now the galaxy is under siege. Using the powers of E-DNA, the Darkspore has transformed planetary populations into mutated hordes. Its sole purpose... to dominate life on all planets. You are a fugitive, hidden for a millennium. Your mission... to reconstruct an arsenal of genetic heroes. And lead the battle against the Darkspore. The time to strike back is now.

Darkspore is a PC exclusive and is currently slated for a summer 2011 release.

Sharkey says: If you're like me, you were seriously let down by Spore and are hoping Maxis can salvage one of its best pieces and put it to good use with Darkspore. Our own Ryan Scott got a close look at the game at the EA summer showcase. See what he spilled when we tossed him into the Interrogation Room.